The NextGen PC Design Competition is a competition set up by Microsoft to allow people to design their idea of the next generation computer. "Influence tomorrow's digital lifestyle with your vision of the Next-Gen PC. Change the way people pursue their passions by designing the ultimate Next-Gen Windows-based PC. Give them everything they need to do what they love, easily, powerfully, and enjoyably. Introduce the Next-Gen PC. It's your design."The winner is the Napkin PC. As the contest entry details explain:
The marketing speak makes my brain wobble, but the idea, I think, is that each napkin is a touch-sensitive display of some sort, building upon the concept of colour e-paper. I find the device rather cumbersome, but that's usually the case with concept designs. It does look unique though, that's for sure.
Many of the entries are, I must say, rather out of this world and impossible for me to grasp. Most of them have absolutely no resemblance with today's computers, but in spite of that, a browse through the list shows some innovative approaches to computing.
And that's what we all want. Innovation. No matter how out-of-this-world, the computing world could use some true innovation. I take my hat off to all the people who took the time to design these freakish devices. Certainly worth a look.
